How to Play Shahi India Poker
One of the silliest poker games, Shahi India Poker- also known as Blind Man's Bluff - is a popular variation of classic poker that many people have seen in movies. It’s also typically played during parties, where beer is often considered a requirement for ultimate gameplay (but you didn’t hear that here!) There’s virtually no limit to the number of players, but usually 6-10 work best. Ace is high card.
So here’s how it’s played: each player puts in an ante (usually one dollar) to play. Using one deck of cards, the dealer deals a card, face down, to each player around the table. The players then place the cards on their foreheads with one hand, so all players except themselves can see what they’re playing with. The card stays held there until the end of the round. If a player looks at their own card, they’re out of the round, and lose their ante.
Next, one-by-one, starting with the dealer, each player puts in their bets or folds. Decisions are based on what a player believes their unseen card is compared to others’ seen cards. Once all bets are in, everyone sees their hand. High card takes the pot.
To continue the game, the next person to the left deals out from the remaining cards—setting aside the cards played in previous rounds. This continues round-after-round until the entire deck is gone.
Many people love this game because it takes a lot of reading faces (literally!) and can be quite a riot. Plus, it can drive you crazy trying to bet when there’s no limit and you don’t know what you have. The question is, can you keep a straight face when your betting friend with the two of hearts keeps raising?
